Netbooks have been heralded as the foot in the door for Linux. With the launch of the earliest Eee PC models, Asus made a bold move by only offering them with Linux pre-installed; Microsoft soon responded by working with Asus to bring Windows XP to the next generation Eee PCs. Since then, Windows XP gained market share in the netbook segment rapidly, casting doubts over whether or not netbooks would really turn out to be that foot in the door. HP has today announced that its new HP Mini 1000 netbook will not be available with Linux pre-installed in Europe.

"Without Linux Microsoft would never have.." What a load of bull. You mean without Snow Leopard Microsoft would never have modified windows vista. Microsoft couldn't give a crap about Linux market share right now. It's not growing at the moment at an appreciable rate. Apple is more of a threat. I use Linux every day as my desktop OS and I realise 90% of people can't use this software. Too much is broken, if you have any previous investment in windows applications too much is going to be missing/broken on your Linux install. Your mum will switch back to windows when she realises half the dirt cheapware/free cds/dvds don't work on the platform. Sure you think it's a good thing because techies hate crapware but a lot of people like that stuff. Things like that screensaver dvd bought in Africa not working are going to turn people off the platform.

Your argument doesn't make sense.
1st you start by saying that Ms aren't threatened by Linux because OS X has more of a presence*, But then you say the reason Linux doesn't have a presence is because Windows software doesn't run on Linux** which is true to OS X as well. Thus - strictly following your line of thought - OS X shouldn't be a threat either (despite you claiming otherwise).

* fair enough opinion, but not entirely accurate as Linux still dominates Windows in the server market so MS are fighting to gain market share there.
** again, not entirely accurate as a lot of software runs really smoothly in Wine. But clearly an ideal solution is running native Linux software rather than Windows software on a 3rd party port of the Win32 APIs.